Leaf economics spectrum and its linkage with nutrient-associated processes
For all species, the PCA conducted on the morphological and chemical traits explained 73% of the variation in the first two axes (Fig. 3; Table S2). The first principal component (PC1) captured 54% and was positively correlated with green leaf N and P concentrations and SLA, but negatively correlated with green leaf C and lignin concentrations and LTD.
Across all species, the PC1 axis score was positively correlated with PAP (R2 = 0.27, P = 0.047), litter P concentration (R2 = 0.50, P = 0.003), litter N concentration (R2 = 0.29, P = 0.037), and mass loss (R2 = 0.39, P = 0.013; Figs. 4, S2). For AM species, the PC1 axis score was positively correlated with mass loss (R2 = 0.73, P= 0.007; Figs. 4c, S2). For ECM species, the patterns were similar to all species. The PC1 axis score was positively correlated with PAP (R2 = 0.59, P = 0.044), litter P concentration (R2 = 0.77, P = 0.010), litter N concentration (R2 = 0.93, P< 0.001), and mass loss (R2 = 0.62,P = 0.036; Figs. 4, S2).